Old foes Donegal too strong as they claim McKenna Cup title

Dr McKenna Cup final

Donegal 2-17

Monaghan 0-11

Colm Shalvey

Monaghan’s winning run in the McKenna Cup ended with a heavy defeat in the final against Donegal in front of over 3,500 supporters in Omagh on Saturday evening. Shea Malone, who caught the eye during Naomh Conaill’s championship run, scored both goals on the night for Donegal as they held Monaghan at bay for a comfortable victory that will send the Ulster champions into the league with a spring in their step.

Gabriel Bannigan once again rang the changes to his Monaghan team, with Ryan Wylie, Dylan Byrne, Ryan Duffy, Liam McDonald, Stephen Mooney and first-time starter Alastair Stewart coming in for Daragh McElearney, Cameron Dowd, Dessie Ward, Oisín Monahan, Mícheál Bannigan and Stephen O’Hanlon. Byrne was making his first appearance of the new season after a spell out injured, while Louis Kelly also returned to action during the second half as Monaghan slowly bolster their options on the brink of the start of their return to Division One of the league.

Monaghan opened the scoring from a Stephen Mooney free, but Donegal hit back decisively when Gavin Mulreany’s kick-out found Shane O’Donnell, who combined with Paul O’Hare for the latter to tee up Shea Malone to hit the net from close range. Hugh McFadden was also on target for the Ulster champions, although Monaghan replied with a fisted point from Ryan Duffy, following good link-up play by David Garland and Mooney. Shane O’Donnell and O’Hare combined again for a point from Turlough Carr, before Conor O’Donnell moved Donegal four clear.

Monaghan had a chance to get a goal back when Duffy raced forward down the right wing, but a palmed effort from Thomas Hughes was parried clear by Mulreany. A fine score from McFadden kept Donegal on top, but Monaghan rallied with three in a row from Jason Irwin, Hughes and Mooney (the latter with a stylish outside-of-the-boot effort).

Scores at either end from Kevin Muldoon and Hughes left just two between the teams as the first half reached added time, but a two-point free from Mulreany doubled Donegal’s lead to four at the interval: 1-7 to 0-6.

The Donegal keeper repeated the trick after the restart to move his side five clear, after Andrew Woods had won and scored a free that had briefly brought Monaghan back within one score.

An early ball forward from Fionán Carolan earned Garland a glimpse at goal that he fired over from a very narrow angle, but some slick moves from Donegal saw Shane O’Donnell and Malone keep their tally rising. Louis Kelly marked his first appearance of 2026 for Monaghan by punching over the bar after a one-two with fellow sub Stephen O’Hanlon and with Donegal getting some joy off pressing the kick-outs, one of those led to Peadar Mogan releasing Malone to blast home his second goal of the evening.

Monaghan’s fading hopes of turning the game weren’t helped by appeals for a penalty for a push on Garland being waved away and while Kian Mulligan converted the resulting ’45 and Eddie Walsh swung over a nice score from the left wing, there was no way back by then. Jason McGee, who played his club football for Corduff last year, came on to kick Donegal’s third two-pointer, while Conor McCahill, Caolán McColgan, Eoin McGeehan and Ryan McHugh chipped over close-range scores as they wrapped up a first McKenna Cup title since 2018.

Full focus will now turn to the National League, where Monaghan will host Armagh in Clones on Sunday, with Donegal away to Dublin on Saturday.

Donegal: Gavin Mulreany (0-4, 2 2ptf); Ultan Doherty, Brendan McCole, Mark Curran; Paul O’Hare, Caolán McGonagle, Max Campbell; Kieran Gallagher, Hugh McFadden (0-2); Shane O’Donnell, Turlough Carr (0-1), Kevin Muldoon (0-1); Conor O’Donnell (0-2), Conor McCahill (0-1), Shea Malone (2-1).

Subs: Caolán McColgan (0-1) for McCole (20); Ryan McHugh (0-1) for Carr, Eoghan Bán Gallagher for Doherty, Finnbarr Roarty for O’Hare (all H-T); Peadar Mogan for McGonagle (41); Jason McGee (0-2, 1 2-pt) for K Gallagher, Dómhnall Mac Giolla Bhríde for McFadden (both 43); Eoin McGeehan (0-1) for C O’Donnell (45); Seanán Carr for S O’Donnell (47); Oisín Caulfield for Muldoon (48).

Monaghan: Jack Kiernan; Ryan Wylie (Capt.), Darragh Treanor, Dylan Byrne; Ryan Duffy (0-1), Shane Hanratty, Thomas Hughes (0-2); Karl Gallagher, Alastair Stewart; Jason Irwin (0-1), Liam McDonald, Fionán Carolan; David Garland (0-1), Andrew Woods (0-1f), Stephen Mooney (0-2, 1f).

Subs: Daragh McElearney for Hanratty (21); Kian Mulligan (0-1, ’45) for Kiernan, Dessie Ward for Gallagher, Stephen O’Hanlon for Mooney, Mícheál Bannigan for Irwin (all H-T); Louis Kelly (0-1) for Stewart, Aaron Carey for McDonald, Oisín Monahan for Duffy (all 43); Eddie Walsh (0-1) for Woods (46); Cameron Dowd for Byrne (49); Seán Callan for Carolan (55).

Ref: Shane Murphy (Armagh)

GAME AT A GLANCE

Man of the Match

Donegal had the bulk of the most influential performances in this game, with Hugh McFadden, Gavin Mulreany, Shane O’Donnell and goal-scorer Shea Malone among them. McFadden got the nod for helping Donegal win the lion’s share of possession at midfield, as well as getting on the scoresheet himself. Thomas Hughes, Ryan Duffy and sub Louis Kelly had their moments for Monaghan.

Score of the Match

The only two-pointer from open play was a spectacular sky-scraping effort from Donegal sub Jason McGee late on. Keeper Gavin Mulreany landed two from placed kicks, while Monaghan (who didn’t raise an orange flag) had some nice scores from Stephen Mooney and Eddie Walsh.

Talking Point

In the absence of some established players this month, Monaghan have relied fairly heavily on Mícheál Bannigan in attack. After kicking 1-14 in his previous two games, Bannigan was subdued after being brought on for the second half against Donegal as Monaghan had their lowest-scoring game to date since his uncle took charge for the start of the 2025 season. They will need other forwards to step up as they begin the league with important games against Armagh and Roscommon.